System won't shut down

My son's system won't shut down. During shut down, it gets to the windows screen and says "windows is shuting down" but stops there. I have ran disk defrag, updated Norton dat files and ran virus scan. Nothing works. Any suggestions. Would reinstalling the OS work?

E-Machine
XP Home
2.4 Ghz

 

I wouldn't reinstall the OS yet. Too hasty.

Does it shutdown ok in Safe Mode?

 

Its the antivirus set to scan the floppy drives on shutdown? That's been known to cause problems.

 

Check the processes running before you shutdown, this could be a number of things but definitely sounds like a program is hanging up, whether it be Norton, or something else.

 

i will check rnning processes. what would i be looking for?

i will also check safe mode. how do i get into safe mode?

 

Press F8 before Windows starts to load, that will give you a menu to choose Safe Mode.

 

Here it is:

System shuts down in safe mode. Norton does not scan floppies during shut down.

Here is my running services. I don't have a clue as to what I should be looking for. Grab a drink, kick back and enjoy the reading. Please let me know if there is a red flag.

NameStatus Startup TypeLog On AsAlerterDisabledLocal ServiceAOL Connectivity ServiceStartedAutomaticLocal SystemApplication Layer Gateway ServiceStartedManualLocal ServiceApplication ManagementManualLocal SystemAutomatic UpdatesStartedAutomaticLocal SystemBackground Intelligent Transfer ServiceStartedAutomaticLocal SystemClipBookDisabledLocal SystemCOM+ Event SystemStartedManualLocal SystemCOM+ System ApplicationManualLocal SystemComputer BrowserAutomaticLocal SystemCryptographic ServicesStartedAutomaticLocal SystemDCOM Server Process LauncherStartedAutomaticLocal SystemDHCP ClientStartedAutomaticLocal SystemDistributed Link Tracking ClientStartedAutomaticLocal SystemDistributed Transaction CoordinatorManualNetwork ServiceDNS ClientStartedAutomaticNetwork ServiceError Reporting ServiceStartedAutomaticLocal SystemEvent LogStartedAutomaticLocal SystemFast User Switching CompatibilityStartedManualLocal SystemHelp and SupportStartedAutomaticLocal SystemHTTP SSLManualLocal SystemHuman Interface Device AccessDisabledLocal SystemIMAPI CD-Burning COM ServiceManualLocal SystemIndexing ServiceManualLocal SystemIPSEC ServicesStartedAutomaticLocal SystemLexBce ServerStartedAutomaticLocal SystemLogical Disk ManagerManualLocal SystemLogical Disk Manager Administrative ServiceManualLocal SystemMessengerDisabledLocal SystemMS Software Shadow Copy ProviderManualLocal SystemNet LogonManualLocal SystemNetMeeting Remote Desktop SharingManualLocal SystemNetwork ConnectionsStartedManualLocal SystemNetwork DDEDisabledLocal SystemNetwork DDE DSDMDisabledLocal SystemNetwork Location Awareness (NLA)StartedManualLocal SystemNetwork Provisioning ServiceManualLocal SystemNorton AntiVirus Auto Protect ServiceStartedAutomaticLocal SystemNT LM Security Support ProviderManualLocal SystemPerformance Logs and AlertsManualNetwork ServicePlug and PlayStartedAutomaticLocal SystemPortable Media Serial Number ServiceManualLocal SystemPrint SpoolerStartedAutomaticLocal SystemProtected StorageStartedAutomaticLocal SystemQoS RSVPManualLocal SystemRemote Access Auto Connection ManagerManualLocal SystemRemote Access Connection ManagerStartedManualLocal SystemRemote Desktop Help Session ManagerManualLocal SystemRemote Procedure Call (RPC)StartedAutomaticNetwork ServiceRemote Procedure Call (RPC) LocatorManualNetwork ServiceRemovable StorageManualLocal SystemRouting and Remote AccessDisabledLocal SystemScriptBlocking ServiceAutomaticLocal SystemSecondary LogonStartedAutomaticLocal SystemSecurity Accounts ManagerStartedAutomaticLocal SystemSecurity CenterStartedAutomaticLocal SystemServerStartedAutomaticLocal SystemShell Hardware DetectionStartedAutomaticLocal SystemSmart CardManualLocal ServiceSSDP Discovery ServiceStartedManualLocal ServiceSymantec Event ManagerStartedAutomaticLocal SystemSymantec Password Validation ServiceManualLocal SystemSystem Event NotificationStartedAutomaticLocal SystemSystem Restore ServiceStartedAutomaticLocal SystemTask SchedulerStartedAutomaticLocal SystemTCP/IP NetBIOS HelperStartedAutomaticLocal ServiceTelephonyStartedManualLocal SystemTerminal ServicesStartedManualLocal SystemThemesStartedAutomaticLocal SystemUninterruptible Power SupplyManualLocal ServiceUniversal Plug and Play Device HostManualLocal ServiceVolume Shadow CopyManualLocal SystemWAN Miniport (ATW) ServiceStartedAutomaticLocal SystemWebClientStartedAutomaticLocal ServiceWindows AudioStartedAutomaticLocal SystemWindows Firewall/Internet Connection Sharing (ICS)StartedAutomaticLocal SystemWindows Image Acquisition (WIA)ManualLocal SystemWindows InstallerManualLocal SystemWindows Management InstrumentationStartedAutomaticLocal SystemWindows TimeAutomaticLocal SystemWindows User Mode Driver FrameworkStartedAutomaticLocal ServiceWireless Zero ConfigurationStartedAutomaticLocal SystemWMI Performance AdapterManualLocal SystemWorkstationStartedAutomaticLocal System

 

I had the same problem until just yesterday. It would get to the Shutting Down... screen and just stop. There must have been a hung process that windows did not know how to release. I updated Norton and then ran a scan and nothing came up. I restarted into Safe Mode, ran Norton and it pulled up and cleaned 7 viruses! Since then, problem solved, and it shuts down normally.

Did you try running a scan in Safe mode?

 

I will try that...

 

Re: System won't shut down HELP!!!!!!!!!!

Well I ran Norton Antivirus in safe mode and it didn't find any viruses. What would be the next step. I copied and pasted the "running services" below. I realize that it all ran together, but I have tried to print screen it and MG gives me an error message saying file too big.

Anyway, what does everyone think I sould do.

 

Re: System won't shut down HELP PLEASE

I have now tried to do a restore point and it didn't work. The system would'nt shut down so I turned it off and rebooted, restore cam back saying incomplete...

 

No way I am gonna sift through that.

If it wasn't all run together I would...but anyway.

http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;en-us;310353

Try this.

 

This might sound really basic and stupid, but is advanced power management enabled and set to shut down computer automatically?

 

It works in Safe Mode. That wouldn't apply.

 

I tried everything that I could think of and all of MG's suggestions. Nothing seemed to work, so BAM!!!!!!!! I formatted the hard drive. I appreciate all of the suggestions.

DIna

 

If you are running Norton GoBack 3.0 that came with Norton Utilities, your system will not shut down. They have a fix for the stand alone GoBack but don't have a fix for the bundled package yet. Disable GoBack and your system will shut down just fine. I myself live with the problem since GoBack is a much superior program to the XP restore.